Creation and Mythology

In the early days, there was only a vast ocean of chaos called Nun. Then Ra, god of the sun emerged from a flower. Behind him came the god Shu of the air and the goddess Tefnut of water. Then came the god Geb of the earth and the goddess Nut of the sky.

And so, standing one on top of the other, these four became the earth and its atmosphere and Ra became the supreme ruler of this newborn world. Then Geb and Nut were joined and Nut gave birth to Seth, god of chaos, and Osiris, god of the underworld. Their sisters were Nephthys and Isis, the two protectors of the dead. Finally, Isis and Osiris came together and produced the falcon-headed god Horus, but Seth envied his brother Osiris and murdered him, scattering his body over the world.

Horus avenged his father by leading a mighty army against Seth. Victorious, he became the ruler of the entire world and was known as Horus the Great God and Lord of the Sky. Isis wandered over the land collecting each piece of Osiris with the help of her sister Nepthys. They managed to retrieve all of the pieces of the body, except one.

Osiris was mummified and buried in a secret location that only Isis knew about. Finally able to enter the afterlife, Osiris' spirit passed into Amenti to rule over the dead. Though defeated, Seth was not destroyed and so Osiris still sleeps in his grave, waiting for the day when his son will finally slay his uncle and free his father.

The Major GODs of the Egyptian pantheon.

These are some of the most commonly used symbols of the Hieroglyphic language :

Modern Egypt (Cairo)

Modern Cairo is soon 150 years old. It was projected with Paris in mind. As Haussmann had drawn wide boulevards through the old and narrow streets of central Paris, so wanted the ruler of Egypt, Khedive Ismail. The occasion was the opening of the Suez Canal: he wanted to impress kings and politicians of Europe.

To large extent, he succeeded. Modern Cairo can remind of Paris, but due to the difference of economical strength between the two countries, many of the houses of modern Cairo is often in bad need of repair. Also, exhaust is today the most common paint in use here. Visitors should also prepare for the frequent sight of beggars.

But try to bring your focus away from the bad things: modern Cairo is delightful for anyone spending some time here. People are open and friendly, there are plenty of shops for tourists suffering from "antique fatigue", there are plenty of cafes and restaurants.

As for shopping, you could well do a bargain here. Shoes are of good to excellent quality (made in Egypt) with prices from US$10 (€13) for leather shoes. Shoe styles are not very different from European and American styles. It is your choice. And for many foreigners, the fact that the price tag is attached to every item (even what is put in windows) will help you avoid being overcharged. But the prices are in Arabic, so a handly little handbook showing the decipherment of these will be smart. It is really not that hard.

From Gezira island, overlooking the Nile in direction south. Roda Island, Giza to the right, Cairo proper to the left. Just in front, the the Opera House and the Gezira Sheraton Hotel.

The National Museum

The National Museum could be worth a holiday by itself. The museum (its official name is Museum of Egyptian Antiquities) holds some of the finest treasures of human history, and is filled far beyond the capacity of the 100 year old building.

There are as much as 136,000 items exhibited. 40,000 more lie in the basement, many are sinking into the soft ground. A great number of the items are tiny, coins or amulets, but prepare yourself for the awe of facing great statues and treasures.

The museum was founded in 1857 by Said Pasha on the initiative of the French archaeologist Auguste Mariette, who had excavated several temples, like the one in The museum moved a couple of times before installing itself in the heart of Cairo. A new move, this time out to the Pyramids of Giza, is planned.

There are two approaches to the museum:

First, visit it in the beginning of your journey, to get the best and most direct introduction to ancient Egypt. After your journey to temples and pyramids, return, and view it all with a clearer understanding. Secondly, read up on the choices, and try to select your interest. You will probably go sour if you try to cover it all in one visit (any of these guide books have great introductions, or you could get an even more detailed guide at the museum).

A large part of the 1st floor is dedicated to the finds in the tomb of 14th century BCE Pharaoh Tutankhamon in Luxor. The main attraction is in room 3 with the mask made of gold, lapis lazuli and other gems. Other great objects of his are the coffins and the sarcophagus. Room 15 exhibits his bed, and room 25 his wooden throne.

Room 56 holds a spooky collection of mummies. This collection was originally closed in 1981 due to religious sentiments concerning the public show of dead bodies. But it reopened in the early 1990's.

The most interesting exhibitions for many on the ground floor will be from the Amarna This belongs to the religious reform of Akhenaten, who tried to turn Egyptian religion into monotheistic faith, an endeavour that would prove futile. Seeing from the many representations of him, especially the 4 colossi, he is represented with an attenuated skull. Some speculations indicate that this is artistry, indicating his quality, other speculations indicate that he actually looked this way. We will never know.

Al-Azhar Mosque

al-Azhar is today the most important religious university in the Muslim world, with as much as 90,000 students.

It is perhaps the oldest university in the whole world (challenged only by the Koutoubiyya mosque in al-Azhar has preserved its old system of education: Free boarding is offered and education is done with students gathering around a teacher, honorably referred to as shaykh, while sitting in circles. It is the students who choose which teacher's lesson they want to attend - it is not organized as structured courses. Graduates receive a 'ijaaza, which contrary to a leaving certificate indicates that they have memorized a teacher's curriculum

al-Azhar has always been of great political importance, but today most of the teachers are on the governmental side in the ongoing conflict with the Islamists. Yet many of the students have chosen the extreme version of Islam, making al-Azhar an area under constant governmental control. The hear of al-Azhar is the mosque quarters. Unlike so many mosques around the Muslim world, it is fully open for visitors. The architecture is stunning, the size of the roofed hall is quite impressive. In short, this is not an attraction to lose.

Hanging Church

The most attractive sight in Old Cairo is the Hanging Church, so called because its nave used to suspend over the road beneath. That effect is since long lost, even if the steep staircase of 29 steps in front is unusual and indicates the uncommon construction.

The original church is said to date back to late 3rd or early 4th century. But this was destroyed in the 9th century, and not rebuilt before the 11th century. Since then have there been a great number of alterations and additions. Some parts of what is seen now dates no further back than the 19th century. Much has also been repaired since the earthquake of 1992.

Crowds of Copts during the Easter celebations in 2003.

Coptic Museum

The interior of the museum is worth attention, too. Especially the ceilings offer great cratsmanship. This is room 9. From the selection of scriptures found at Nag Hammadi in 1947. A 4th century funerary stele made from limestone

The churches  Easter mass in the Coptic Church of St Barbara

The facade of the Greek Church of St George, the only round church in Egypt. Eater crowds in the Church of St Sergius. 

The saintly slaying of a dragon. From the entance hall to the Convent of St George.

There is a nice collection of 5 churches, one convent and a monastery within a radius of 100 metres. And they are all in use, and each has its own story. The Greek Church of St George (picture 2), rebuilt in 1904 and therefore perhaps not the greatest attraction, is the only round church in Egypt.

There isn't too much to see inside, perhaps except the stained glass windows. Next door is the Monastery of St George, normally closed to the public. The other Church of St George, this one Coptic was founded in 684 by Athanasius. In a fire in 1857 only the marriage chamber survived, and the rest was rebuilt. The chamber holds some real works of art, like the ceiling with coloured frescos.

The Church of St Sergius appears as just another house in the area - with a modest and ordinary door on a flat unadorned facade. This church is possibly the oldest and most unique of the churches here, founded in the 5th century. Its main attraction is crypt claimed to be the place where the Holy Family stayed during their Egyptian exile.

The Convent of St George is among the most fascinating churches. Note both the enormously tall and slender doors, as well as the unique ritual here. It is normally referred to as the "chain wrapping ritual", performed at any time and by anyone. It is in remembrance of the persecution of the saint by the Romans. The main building, a nunnery, is closed, but the hall you enter is the oldest, dating back to the 10th century.

The 11th century Church of St Barbara was built after the destruction of an earlier church by al-Hakim. St. Barbara's relics are said to be in the western sanctuary. According to a disputed legend, she was killed for preaching Christianity in the 3rd century. Also the remains of St Catherine, after whom the famous monastery in Sinai is named, are said to be here.

While the Church of the Virgin Mary dates back to the 9th century, most of what you see belongs to far younger reconstructions.

The Synagogue

Modest in appearance, delightful in interior and boasting of legends, the Ben Ezra synagogue is the supreme Jewish monument in Cairo. It is not the only synagogue, but it is the most used. It no longer has a rabbi, but is maintained by 42 local Jewish families.

Legends claim that the synagogue is built on the spot where pharaoh's daughter found Moses in the bulrushes and where Jeremiah spoke to survivors after the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar.

Until the 9th century, there was a church here. The Jewish community bought it from the Christians, who needed the money to pay taxes to Ibn Tulun to construct his famous It is possible that the church building survived into the synagogue. The modest exterior is perhaps not a bad idea considering the shifting attitudes from the rulers and the population of Egypt towards Jews. It was severely damaged in 1967 following the Six-Day War.

But the most important recent event is the finding of medieval manuscripts in 1894. The collection, called Geniza, contained manuscripts with references to God, and therefore could not be destroyed, counted more than 250,000 pages, dating to the period between 1002 and 1266.

Fustat  

Apparently a pool (there are no guides or guide books explaining things, so....) with room for up to 10 people.

The ruins of Fustat must be the least inviting historical site of Cairo. One should have expected more from the first city of future Cairo, built here from 640. There is virtually nothing to see of beauty, and quite little of information. In total, the ruins of Fustat is just rubble. The fact that there is an entry fee (E£6, students E£3) is pure mystery.

Should you take the chance of visiting, the only things worth noting is to the left of the entrance zone, where you can see some statues left on the ground, and a few house foundations in tolerable condition. The pipe system is quite visible many places, and you can make out a few baths here and there.

Today, there is really only one remain from Fustat, the Mosque of Amr. But this has really been rebuilt so many times, that it tells more about later periods of Cairo's history.

In its heydays, Fustat was quite impressive, with good systems for water supply, sewerage and sanitation. But it had a short life, ending its importance with the construction of Cairo from 969. In 1175 it was razed to the ground by the order of vizier Shawar, preventing it from falling into the hands of advancing Christian

Khan el-Khalili

Khan el-Khalili is for many the most entertaining part of Cairo. It is an ancient shopping area, nothing less, but some of the shops have also their own little factories or workshops.

The suq (which is the Arabic name for bazar, or market) dates back to 1382, when Emir Djaharks el-Khalili built a big caravanserai (or khan) right here. A caravanseri was a sort of hotel for traders, and usually the focal point for economic activity for any surrounding area.

This caravanserai is still there, you just ask for the narrow street of Sikka Khan el-Khalili and Badestan. As for the suq, you can easily grasp most of its charm and possibilities by wandering about. You do not need a guide, not even a guide book. Should you get lost, just keep going in one direction, and you will quickly come out of the maze, and close to a taxi.

Shopping is almost compulsory in Khan el-Khalili. Since the decline in Western tourism to Egypt in recent years, prices in Khan el-Khalili has dropped, but the intensity of the shop keepers has increased. The golden rule is, check the range of goods and prices in several shops before you buy, keep your head calm and stay friendly. And remember: you should never feel that you insult or disappoint a seller by not buying. After all, it is your money.

There are items you should check out here, and items you better avoid. Clothes are cheap, spices are of good quality and affordable, souvenirs of just as good quality as in the hotel lobby, but at a better price. Jewellery is a matter of taste, some might find the work a bit too crude, and the colour of the gold might be to goldy for some. The perfume shops sell copies of virtually all international Western perfumes, but the quality is not good. Chances are that your bottle of expensive drops will smell like spearmint.

While all of Khan el-Khalili is an attraction, there are some local sights. The most treasured for visitors is Fishawi's cafe, which you can count on being open when you get there: It has been continuously open, day and night, for more than 200 years. Its interior is charming, claustrophobic but with mirrors almost everywhere.

For readers of Nobel prize laureate Naguib Mahfouz, Khan el-Khalili is the place of Midaq Alley. Start in Sharia al-Mu'izz, find the Sharia Sanadiqiyah, and look out for the first passage to the left. This is it. When the novel was filmed (not the Mexican version), this narrow strip of road was rightfully the location.

The Citadel

The Citadel was for 700 years the strategic stronghold for Cairo, overlooking the city, and easy to defend. It was first occupied in 810 by the governor, who built his Dome of the Wind pavillion. But it was first in 1176 that Saladin turned it into a fortress, much inspired by the fortresses of Syria and Palestine, used by the armies during the Crusades.   The outer walls of the Citadel seem from the (now closed) Azab gate. The Muhammad Ali Mosque in the background.

And it was to protect Cairo from the Crusaders that made Saladin fortify the site. It was slightly more than a fortress, as two residential areas were added. One for the Janissaries and one for ordinary soldiers. A 3.5 km long aquaduct with 4 pumping stations were constructed to feed the area with water. Water was also obtained from Jacob's Well which spirals down into the ground 97 metres, to the level of the Nile.

The Citadel consists of several buildings. There are 4 mosques, of which 3 are destribed here. The most famous is the Muhammad Ali Mosque, but Sultan al-Nasir Mosque has the nicest courtyard and Suleyman Pasha Mosque the highest quality of the decorations.

The back of the Citadel, here dominated by the Burg el-Muqattam, near the Gabal gate. The minaret of Mosque of Sultan al-Nasir in the back.

Muhammad Ali Mosque

Spectacular to anyone who has not been to Istanbul, the Muhammad Ali Mosque from the mid-19th century is really a reproduction. It was built according to Turkish ideals, especially the Blue Mosque, which originally was a church. Cairo's version was started to be built in 1824, but not finished until 1865.

This mosque is one of the most visible buildings on the Cairene skyline, set as it is on the foot of the Muqattam Hills, and as a dominating part of the Citadel.

Its architect was the Greek Jacob Bushnaq of Istanbul. He succeeded in exterior, but the interior is generally considered to be tacky and of inferior quality. Yet, it is colourful like a Fabergé egg, and the extent of the dome's interior is quite awesome.

The courtyard is architecturally more successful, with its tall arcade, each vault crowned with a dome on top of the roof. The floor is marbled, and the ablutions fountain is among the prettiest of any mosque anywhere. Look out for the clock tower.

The clock was given to Muhammad Ali by France's Louis Philippe as a return gift for the obelisk now in Place de la Concorde in Paris. But it has never worked!

Cuisine & Recipes

Although some dishes are similar to Middle East Cuisine, Egypt is famous for its typical, local specialities such as "Foul" (Egyptian dry beans), "Molokhia" (a soup made of Molokhia leaves and chicken), or "Mahshi" (an assortment of different vegetables usually stuffed with rice and minced meat). You can try some of the following recipes :

Drinks Hibiscus (Karkade)- 1 cup hibiscus petals - 2 cups sugar - Remove any stems and leaves from the dried hibiscus petals. - Soak the petals in cold water for 1-2 hours. - Boil the soaked petals in the same water. - Strain water from petals immediately. - Keep straining until the petals loose their reddish color. - Discard the strained petals. - Sweeten with sugar while hot. - Can be served hot or cold.

Soups Green Soup (Molokhia)- 1 pound fresh molokhia leaves (or frozen and thawed) - 6 cups chicken stock - 1 bay leaf - 1 small onion, finely chopped - black pepper, to taste - several garlic cloves, crushed - 1 tsp ground coriander - 1 tsp salt - juice of one lemon - cardamom or cinnamon, to taste - 2 tbsp cooking oil - 5 pound chicken - cooked rice - Bring the chicken stock to a near boil. - Chop the molokhia leaves as finely as possible (frozen molokhia is usually cleaned and chopped). - Add the molokhia, stirring well. - Stir in the bay leaf, onion and black pepper. - Reduce heat and leave to simmer for about twenty minutes. - Meanwhile, grind the garlic, ground coriander and the salt together into a paste and fry in oil until browned (the mixture is known as Ta'liya). - Add the Ta'liya to the simmering molokhia with any remaining ingredients and stir well. - Continue simmering for a few minutes and stir occasionally. - Serve immediately with boiled rice and boiled chicken.

Creamy Risotto with onions (Keshk)- 1 cup of yoghurt - ½ cup of flour - 1 cup of milk - 2 tsp of cornflour - 6 cups of chicken stock - pinch of salt - 1 onion, peeled - 1 tsp of butter- Mix the salt with the yoghurt and then stir in the flour. - Let the mixture sit for thirty minutes. - Add milk and corn, stirring constantly. - Then, add the chicken stock. - Cook on a low heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is very thick. - Fry onion on a low heat heat until browned. - Sprinkle onion over the Kesh. - Serve hot or cold.

Beans Egyptian Dry Beans (Foul)

1 can dried, small, fava beans - 1 tbsp olive oil - salt & pepper, to taste - 1/2 tsp ground coriander - 1/2 tsp cumin - 1 tbsp lemon juice - 2 cloves garlic, crushed - 4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled - coriander leaves- Soak fava beans in cold water overnight. - Drain fava beans the following day. - Cook in water on a medium heat for 45 minutes. - Strain beans then mix with olive oil, salt, pepper, ground coriander, cumin, lemon juice and garlic. - Serve beans in ramekins and put hard-boiled egg in middle of each one. - Decorate with coriander leaves.

Vegetables Stuffed cabbage with rice (Mahshy)- 1 cabbage - 2 tbsp butter or oil - 2 onions, chopped - 1kg tomatoes, chopped - chopped parsley - 4 cups short-grain rice - 1 tsp salt - 1 tsp pepper - 1 cup chicken or beef broth - Preheat oven (200°C/400°F). - Trim outer leaves from cabbage. - Wash and pat dry. - Prick leaves with fork. - Sprinkle with salt. - Fry the onion in butter or oil. - Sauté the onion with the diced tomatoes and parsley. - Stir in the short-grain rice. - Stuff the cabbage leaves with the mixed rice. - Place in a deep oven dish or casserole. - Pour the broth over the stuffed leaves. - Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven until rice is done.

Bread Pitta Bread stuffed with figs and dates - A Pre-fasting savory ( Eish Bel Balah wel teen)- 1 cup seedless dates, chopped - 1 cup chopped dried figs - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened - 1.1/2 tsps baking soda - 1 cup boiling water - 1/2 cup white sugar - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts - 2 eggs - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour - 3/4 cup whole wheat flour - 1/2 tsp baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon salt- Preheat oven (200°C/400°F). - Mix the dates, figs and butter together with the baking soda. - Add to boiling water and stir constantly for 15 minutes. - Beat the eggs and sugar together. - Add the salt and baking powder. - Beat in the all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. - Stir in walnuts with date and figue mixture. - Pour mixture into greased baking tin. - Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. - Serve warm.

Dessert Baklava (Baklawa)

2 cups walnuts, finely chopped - 2 cups melted butter - 1 cup sugar - 1 cup melted butter, to brush on dough - 2 tsp cinnamon - 3 tbsp orange blossom water (mazahar) - 1 packet phyllo dough (1lb) - 2 cups sugar - 1 cup water - 2 tbsp lemon juice - Preheat oven (200°C/400°F). - Beat the sugar and butter together. - Add walnuts, cinnamon and 1 tbsp orange blossom water. - Grease a baking tin. - Brush each layer of phyllo dough with the melted butter. - Put several layers of phyllo dough in the baking tin. (use about half of the packet) - Pour all of the walnut mixture over the layers of phyllo dough. - Continue adding the rest of the phyllo dough in layers. - Don't forget to brush each one with butter. - Pour any remaining butter over the last layer of phyllo dough. - Cut the phyllo dough into little squares. - Bake in a preheated oven for 5 minutes. - After 5 minutes, lower heat and cook for another 30 to 45 minutes. - While the Baklwa is baking, prepare the syrup. - Heat the water with the sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. - Stir in lemon juice and bring to the boil. - Remove from heat and stir in the rest of the orange blossom water. - Leave to cool.

Stuffed Pigeons (Hamam Mahshy)

Collection of miscellaneous food recipes Stuffed Pigeons (Hamam Mahshy) - 4 pigeons (1 lb each) - pigeon giblets, chopped - onion, chopped - butter - salt - pepper - cornmeal - mint - cooked rice- Preheat oven (200°C/400°F). - Heat the butter and add the onion, salt, pepper and giblets. - Then, toss the giblets in cornmeal and mint until golden brown. - Clean the pigeons and rub them inside and out with salt and pepper. - Stuff each pigeon with the giblets and the previously cooked rice. - Place the pigeons in a casserole. - Add enough hot water to cover the bottom of the casserole. - Pour the remaining butter over the pigeons. - Roast in preheated oven for 50 minutes. - Add additional water when needed. - Put some of the pigeon stock in a saucepan with the remaining cornmeal. - Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. - Serve with the roast pigeons. Grilled minced chicken rolls (Koftet Ferakh)Left over chicken or a whole boiled chicken- Knead the chicken well to make a smooth mixture. - Form the chicken mixture into small balls. - Flatten into circles. - Put the meat in the fridge for 15 minutes. - Fry or roast.